It Was a Merry Christmas

Hello everyone!  We're recovering from a sugar hangover here--so many baked goods, so many sweets, so many kind and generous friends and neighbors.  Santa comes to Whittier every Christmas Eve on a fire truck.  Here's Stacy's sweet face as she heard the sirens and knew Santa as approaching...

Her excitement was less about Santa (our kids have never believed in Santa) and more that Christmas was getting so close and feeling so real.  Either way...big smile!  Just before going downstairs we had decorated a boatload of sugar cookies.  Some for Santa, some for the Christmas Day community potluck.

We were joined by some friends including a friend of ours from Girdwood who is recovering from surgery on a broken leg courtesy of a snowboarding accident.  We got him all set up and comfy on our couch and then Stacy set him up with a side table and some cookies to ice as well.  Judging from his smile, I think he appreciated the effort.

After Santa's arrival we headed downstairs for our Christmas Eve service.  This service had two parts: the kids' performance part and the candlelight portion.  It was a good way to prepare for Christmas Day.  We left cookies for Santa...

And I finished up some last minute Christmas Eve sewing...

Christmas morning we got up a little earlier than usual and opened our friends and family gifts.  We had some friends over for breakfast, Skyped with my family and FaceTimed with Scott's family.  My favorite part of Christmas is always the gifts the girls get for each other.  I didn't get any great pictures of them opening them this year, but Stacy got Kelsey a nice pair of earrings.  She bought them back in October, super-organized little lady!  Kelsey got Stacy a hair feather kit.  Stacy got feathers in her hair at Forest Fair in July and loved it.  One feather had broken a few months ago, but the other was still hanging in there.  She's got a whole bag full now, along with the tool and the crimping rings. 

In the afternoon we went outside for a bit in the snow, then down to the community potluck.  It was a great way to spend the day...time with family, time with friends, time with community.  Hope all of you out there had a wonderful Christmas as well!